Gears of War is getting its own card game this year - here's your first look

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Gears of War studio The Coalition is partnering with tabletop specialist Steamforged Games to create a tactical card game based on the Gears universe. You may know Steamforged Games as the makers of Dark Souls: The Card Game as well as Dark Souls: The Board Game, both well-received tabletop adaptations. 

It being very difficult to make a third-person shooter out of cardboard, the Gears card game takes a tactical approach and focuses on building and commanding a squad of fighters. "Choose how to develop your force as you play through unique narrative scenarios, each with their own objective and terrain layout," the Coalition says. "Each win or loss will affect the contents of your deck in the next scenario, allowing success or failure to impact your experience of the game."  

Interestingly, you can play as members of the Coalition of Ordered Governments or as the Locusts. "In this story-driven campaign style game, the decisions you make in each narrative scenario will have serious consequences on the battlefield in those that follow," the Coalition says. "Strike at the right moment, making your cards work together, fight together, and stand together – and, if necessary, die together." 

(Image credit: Steamforged Games)

Gears of War: The Card Game - Steamforged is nothing if not consistent with its names - will launch in late fall or early winter. Steamforged recently confirmed that the coronavirus outbreak in China, where many of the company's production partners are based, has affected other projects such as the Horizon Zero Dawn board game, so that's also likely the case for the Gears card game. As such, the final release date is subject to change. 

Here are the best card games to play in 2020. 

Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

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